OK, some of you know I've adjusted my macros to follow my dr's plan instead of doing my own version which is much lower carb. Basically he has me eating way more carbs a day than I was comfortable with but the carbs are the 'low or lower glycemic impacting' ones.

That being said, while it has helped the scale move down a bit...it is like I will go for let's say...8 to 10 days weighing about the same..maybe inching up or down by less than a lb. Then I will drop 2 or 3 lbs. I get leery of updating my 'progress' as I'm still distrustful that the next day or 2 the scale won't just 'jump up' again..

Since I have increased my carbs, I have noticed a direct increase in hunger pangs...growly stomach. Hitting my water finally so ruled that out...I never had relief (except for 2 days) from hunger so I've had to deal with it this whole time but I try to double check whether it is head hunger, old habits cropping up, etc. but honestly...I did not have this same hunger in the weeks where I kept my carbs under 20 grams a day.

I felt more..let's say 'satiety' when I was eating more of a keto based diet. I've been a bit frustrated at dealing with the increase in hunger and the DECREASE in feeling well..not fullness...but feeling like I had eaten 'something' and had no desire to even eat another bit.

So, I decided the other day that I was not going to wait 30 minutes to drink water. This was a particularly rough day..actually one of the days that I have felt the absolute hungriest since the initial week of pre-op liquid diet. After I have gotten my protein in, then veggies, followed by carb/fruits...and my pouch is not feeling 'yucky', I have started to drink after 10 or 15 minutes if my stomach is still growling. This usually takes care of the feeling of hunger.

Anyone else resort to drinking (WATER!) as a way to 'cut their hunger' after eating?

Carbs is what causes hunger I myself eat very low carbs and high protein everyday and rarely feel hunger but soon as I eat anything even fruit I feel a little hunger... I've been on low carbs under 20gs a day pretty consistently and losing well... But every person is different..

Yeah..same with me on any carbs...fruit, oatmeal, etc. I had done keto (under 20 grams a day) for 15 months prior to talking to Cigna about surgery..and my dr is supportive of low carb/keto; however, he did want me to change things up as I'm a very slow loser.

I figure I have to at least try to follow what his plan is...so I'll just keep following the macros he set which has me at 60 grams a day for carbs...80 grams for protein, and 27 grams for fat. It's an 800 calorie a day (or less I guess) plan with 40% coming from protein; 30% coming from carbs and 30% coming from fat. Fluffychix recognized what it was right off...I just seem to forget even more things each day.

Just make sure your carbs are taken with protein. Try to make them as unrefined as possible - like cooked whole grains - not ground into flour like bread. You want them to absorb as slowly as possible. The carbs cause a rise in blood sugar which spikes your insulin. This drives your blood sugar down and that results in hunger. It can create a vicious cycle.

You might look up some recipes for chaffles. They are incredibly filling, high in protein, low in carbs. You will not feel hungry after eating these. A very basic recipe:

2 eggs, 1/3 c. almond flour, 1/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. Mix this up and cook in a waffle maker. The little Dash mini waffle makers are $9.99 at Target. This recipe will make 4 or 5 of the minis.

Add some Italian seasoning and use as crust for personal pizzas.

Top with ricotta cheese and fruit for a Danish style.

I've make carrot cake, pumpkin, and chocolate chaffles. Use Monkfruit sweetener for the sweeter recipes. They really are so quick to make and like I said, very filling and low in carbs.